Image transmission and presentation device

ABSTRACT

Means for employing fiber optics in conjunction with a user&#39;&#39;s head piece for transmitting visual information from a remote source and for superimposing said information in the user&#39;&#39;s field of vision without altering his range of vision.

United Stat Rossire i 1 IMAGE TRANSMISSION AND PRESENTATION DEVICEInventor: F. Henry Rossire, Salisbury, Conn.

Assignee: The Bendix Corporation, Teterboro,

Filed: Dec. 22, 1971 Appl. No.: 210,845

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Primary Examiner-David H. RubinAttorney-Anthony F. Cuoco et al.

[57] ABSTRACT Means for employing fiber optics in conjunction with ausers head piece for transmitting visual information from a remotesource and for superimposing said information in the user's field ofvision without altering his range of vision.

1 Claim, 1 Drawing Figure 3,609,016 9/1971 Jampolsky ..350/96BX3,446,916 5/1969 Abel e161 350/96BX 3,504,984 4/1970 Bush ..350/96BXPILOTS EYES ///////6////////"-AIRCRAFT STRUCTURE Patented July 24, 1973ww w mhOJE IMAGE TRANSMISSION AND PRESENTATION DEVICE BACKGROUND OF THEINVENTION 1. Field of the Invention This invention relates generally toimage transfer and presentation means and more particularly to means ofthe type described employing fiber optics.

2. Description of the Prior Art Modern aircraft control systems requirethat visual information be presented to the pilot of the craft withoutrequiring repeated changes in eye focus and line of sight to fullycomprehend the visual aspects of a particular control-situation. Priorto the present invention this has been accomplished by a cathode raytube (CRT) and associated optics arranged on the helmet or head piece ofthe pilot as described in US. Pat. No. 2,872,840 issued Feb. 10, 1959 toA. Stanton. Such arrangement has obvious disadvantages. The size of theequipment is a hinderance to the pilot as is the weight added to thehelmet. High voltage for CRT operation is close to the pilot's head andextensive cabling is required to be connected to the helmet.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This invention contemplates a helmet usingfiber optics image transfer means. A cathode ray tube is mounted remotefrom the helmet and the image is first transmitted through input orreducing fiber optics and then transmitted through a fiber opticsconduit adjacent the pilots helmet to output or magnifying fiber opticsin association with an optical lens system which presents the image inthe pilot's field of vision. Only the optical lens system, the outputfiber optics and one end of the image conduit are attached to thehelmet.

One object of this invention is to provide means for transmitting imagesfrom a remote point and for presenting said images in the field ofvision of a user without requiring alteration of the users line ofsight.

Another object of this invention is to use fiber optics in a device ofthe type described.

Another object of this invention is to provide image transmission andpresentation means of the type described in conjunction with a helmetworn by the user and requiring a minimum number of components to beattached to the helmet.

Another object of this invention is to remove high voltage componentsfrom close proximity to the user and to reduce the hinderance to theuser that otherwise results from devices of the type now known in theart.

The foregoing and other objects and advantages of the invention willappear more fully hereinafter from a consideration of the detaileddescription which follows, taken together with the accompanying drawingwherein one embodiment of the invention is illustrated by way ofexample. It is to be expressly understood, however, that the drawing isfor illustration purposes only and is not to be construed as definingthe limits of the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING The single FIGURE in the drawing is aschematic diagram of a device according to the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION A conventional type cathode ray tube 2 ismounted to aircraft structure 4 remote from a pilots head piece orhelmet 6. Cathode ray tube 2 may display aircraft navigationalinformation in a manner described in US. Pat. 3,573,827 issued on Apr.6, I971 to l. DeBotton and A. Simon and assigned to The BendixCorporation, assignee of the present invention.

An input tapered optical fiber bundle 8 is positioned in relation to thescreen of cathode ray tube 2 so as to reduce the image therefrom. Thereduced image is transmitted through a fiber optical conduit 10, whichmay be suitably mounted to aircraft structure 4 and connected to opticalbundle 8, and a fiber optical conduit 12. Conduits l0 and 12, which areflexible and in the application being described may be as small asonefourth inch in diameter, are connected through a suitable opticalconnector 14 and may be disconnected to permit the pilot to disengagethe optical channel when leaving the aircraft or when otherwise notrequiring the use of said channel as will now be understood.

Optical conduit 12, which conforms generally to the contour of helmet 6is secured to the helmet by suitable means or standoffs l6 and 18 and iscoupled at its free end to an output or magnifying tapered optical fiberbundle 19 which magnifies the image heretofore reduced by optical bundle8 and transmitted through conduits l0 and 12. A collimating lens system20 and an optical combiner 22 are mounted to the pilots helmet bysuitable means (not shown) for presenting the transmitted image in thepilot's line of sight without requiring alteration of the pilots rangeof vision.

It will be understood that tapered optical fiber bundle 8, imageconduits l0 and 12, conduit connector 14 and tapered optical fiberbundle 19 are devices well known in the art. The construction of opticalbundles for image transmission is described in the Bendix TechnicalJournal, No. 2, Summer 1969, published by The Bendix Corporation, BendixCenter, Southfield, Mich. It will suffice to say for purpose ofdescribing the present invention that the bundles are of the coherenttype wherein the image is transmitted through each of the many fibers inthe bundle independent of the neighboring fibers and the image at oneend of the bundle is duplicated at the other end.

It will now be seen that the device of the invention ofiers severaldistinct advantages over prior art devices. Since cathode ray tube 2 isnot attached to helmet 6 the amount of the equipment mounted to thehelmet is minimized as is the weight of the helmet. The high voltagerequired for CRT operation is no longer close to the pilot and thenecessary electrical cabling is removed from the helmet since imageconduits l0 and 12 replace electrical control wires heretofore required.

Although but a single embodiment of the invention has been illustratedand described in detail, it is to be expressly understood that theinvention is not limited thereto. Various changes may also be made inthe design and arrangement of the parts without departing from thespirit and scope of the invention as the same will now be understood bythose skilled in the art.

What is claimed is:

1. An image transfer and presentation system in conjunction with a headpiece worn by a user, comprising:

a cathode ray tube supported for displaying the ima tapered coherentbundle of optical fibers disposed adjacent the cathode ray tube forreducing the image therefrom;

a coherent optical fiber conduit coupled to the image reducing bundle;

said cathode ray tube, image reducing bundle and conduit supportedremote from the head piece.

another coherent optical fiber conduit; means for removably couplingsaid conduit to the first mentioned conduit;

another tapered coherent bundle of optical fibers coupled to the secondmentioned conduit for magthe user.

* t i t

1. An image transfer and presentation system in conjunction with a headpiece worn by a user, comprising: a cathode ray tube supported fordisplaying the image; a tapered coherent bundle of optical fibersdisposed adjacent the cathode ray tube for reducing the image therefrom;a coherent optical fiber conduit coupled to the image reducing bundle;said cathode ray tube, image reducing bundle and conduit supportedremote from the head piece. another coherent optical fiber conduit;means for removably coupling said conduit to the first mentionedconduit; another tapered coherent bundle of optical fibers coupled tothe second mentioned conduit for magnifying the reduced imagetransferred through said second and fiRst mentioned conduits; opticalmeans arranged with said last mentioned optical bundle for presentingthe magnified image therefrom in the focal plane of the user; and thesecond mentioned conduit and bundle and the optical means supported onthe head piece worn by the user.